


Cupid, Step Aside for Twitter

by Hiddlesworth_ed (Thorki_ed)



Series: Tumblr Requests/Norsekink Prompts [23]
Category: Marvel Avengers Movies RPF, Thor (2011) RPF, Thor (Movies) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-12
Updated: 2012-07-17
Packaged: 2017-11-09 21:08:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/458438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thorki_ed/pseuds/Hiddlesworth_ed
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Twitter does a better job of matching a certain couple up than that chubster with wings ever did - Tom holds a contest for a lucky fan to spend the weekend with him.</p><p>For you, fullmoon808!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Calling All Fans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tirrathee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tirrathee/gifts), [Magnusismyrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnusismyrock/gifts), [DragonsFeather](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonsFeather/gifts).



"TOM!"

"WE LOVE YOU!"

"WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

"TOM!"

"LOKI!"

"HAVE MY BABIES!"

Tom flushed a bit at the last comment, though he'd heard similar ones before. His fans were a little crazed, but not necessarily in a bad way - he loved them nonetheless. He had taken the time to sign their cards and posters and take pictures with them because that's just the type of person Tom was - and why he had so many adoring fans. Still, he found that when he spoke to them, he was always being ushered along and never got in more than a "it was nice to meet you" or "thank you so much for your support". He thought about this, and decided that he would go the extra step. It took some convincing, but he swayed all the right people, even if Ken thought he was crazy. It was a particular hot day on the Avengers set, and Kenneth Branagh had dropped by to check in on his long-time friend, because he couldn't pass up the chance with _Loki._

"It's just three days, don't worry!" Tom insisted, brushing his slick black hair back, fanning the back of his neck as well.

"They're going to know where you _live_ , Tom. That's scary."

"Well I trust them," Tom huffed.

"I can't believe you're really doing it."

"I do what I want!" he said in a very Loki-like manner before pulling out his phone to open up Twitter.

"Just make sure you lock your room at night," he said teasingly before winking at Tom and packing up for the day.

"We'll do dinner, yeah?" he asked.

"Of course!"

The two men hugged and parted ways, leaving Tom to type his tweet while dodging the crew trying to disassemble the set. 

Not a moment later did he crash into the brick wall of Chris Hemsworth's armour-clad chest. 

"Oh, sorry about that!" Tom apologized.

"No worries brother," Chris said in a jolly manner, and Tom gave a signature _"eheheh"_ at the address. "What's got you so distracted?"

"I'm hosting a sort of contest for my fans," Tom admitted shyly. His cheeks were turning a rosy red and Chris smiled at the innocent sight, marvelling at the man before him.

"What kind of contest?"

"Oh, well you've seen some of the writing they do, right? Like all the stories about how the Thor movie _should_ have ended and stuff like that?"

"Aye, that stuff's scary," Chris joked, pulling a face, and both men laughed. They'd read their fair share of fiction, sometimes together to unwind from a long day, though they stayed as far away as possible from anything rated above "Teen". They'd made that mistake once. Never. Again.

"Not all of it!" Tom insisted.

"This is true. I quite liked the one where Loki fell and woke up, so the whole thing was a nightmare. That one was perfect."

"That's because Loki cried like a girl and Thor had to save the day because he's all big and brash," Tom said, rolling his eyes.

"See? Perfect."

The two men shared another laugh before Tom explained the rest of his plan. "Well I really liked reading some of the stories, it made me really see how the fans see Loki, and I don't know... It sort of... I..."

"That's how you managed get Loki so perfectly for the Avengers so far?"

"Exactly! It was a great help, actually. Anyway, I'd love to read more about him, he's just such a fascinating character!" Tom practically glowed as his fingers tapped away on the keys. Chris chuckled at how childish Tom was when it came to his character. It was adorable, really. Tom continued, "So I'm going to ask them to send me more stuff, like a short drabble about how they view Loki or something. It'll help me get into character, and I'll finally get some time to spend relaxing with a fan. I've got this whole thing planned out...."

Tom continued to chat excitedly, explaining how he would have to find some sort of way to make everything anonymous and going about contacting them, and all the nitty gritty details, but Chris was paying more attention to the scrolling Twitter feed on Tom's phone. "Looks like you're already getting some responses there," he pointed out.

"Oh!" Tom clicked a few links and his smile grew wide with the submissions. "I have the most amazing fans," he bragged, reading happily. For the rest of the day, Chris kept sparing glances in Tom's direction, each time to see Tom completely absorbed in his phone if he wasn't needed on set for a scene. He couldn't exactly pinpoint what he was feeling, but it made him uneasy, and it was upsetting that every time he looked over, the world was dead to Tom, except for his fans. He was used to Tom watching them film, crystal blue eyes following each movement and sometimes murmuring with Joss about certain things. Whedon would even have them do the scene another time with Tom's suggestions and those were usually the scenes they kept - but today, there were no such comments, and the shooting went a little faster, though none could say if that was for the better or not. 

"Nothing to say, Tom?" Joss asked.

"Huh?" Tom said startled. "Oh, um, sorry I wasn't...."

"Haha, it's fine Tom. It just means we all get to go home earlier," he added with a wink. "Come on, hop in the cage and say some dirty things to Scarlett," he said laughing.

Tom stood and gracefully made his way to the set, smiling at Scarlett on the way there, sharing a few words before the set, assuring each other that they of course loved each other as friends no matter they said. Sort of a tradition he started with Chris from Thor since they exchanged such foul words all the time - it could start to take its toll on a friendship, and they would never risk that.

The scene was flawless - everyone said so, clapping him on the back and flashing smiles and thumbs up. Clearly the reading was already doing it's part. Scarlett pulled him aside and whispered, "You almost had me there for a second, I'm pretty glad we hugged it out before that scene!" she giggled. "Seriously, great job, Tom."

He thanked everyone with kind smiles, flushed at the compliments he was receiving. If he hadn't turned his attention to his phone so quickly, he would have noticed the burly Australian shooting him strange looks with a mix of fear, admiration, and a lot of jealousy.

 

~

 

The contest was due to end in exactly one week, just in time for the weekend off that Joss granted them. Tom had spent quite a lot of his time reading the never-ending replies, enjoying all the short stories depicting his character. Soon, he had visible bags under his eyes, and people started to notice, though they didn't think it was anything to worry about.

"You know, Tom, we should re-shoot the starting scene when you first appear at S.H.I.EL.D. all ghastly, and we wouldn't even have to call in the make-up crew," Joss had joked, and the laugh that escaped Tom's lips was a sinister-sounding, rumbling laugh in lieu of his usual one, causing a few raised eyebrows, and an increasingly worrying Chris Hemsworth. 

"Mate, you doing okay? Don't tell me you're not sleeping right," Chris asked with concern.

"It's nothing to worry about, really," Tom replied hastily. "It's just... I get so wrapped up in reading, and I'm telling you Chris, these fans are _wonderful_ , just _genius_ , I swear!" His eyes shone with each word as he praised his fans, in true Tom style, so Chris was no longer worried that Loki had somehow taken over his friend. (Not that he was thinking at in the first place, because he obviously knows how crazy that sounds. Obviously.)

"Well that's great, Tom, but you gotta take care of yourself. I know you love your fans, but how would they feel if you fell over in exhaustion one day?"

Tom mulled over this before sighing and admitting that Chris was right. "It's just that I really want to pick a winner soon because who knows when the next time we're going to get a weekend off is? And then of course I need to give them time to pack and get ready, and myself as well... I just... I just haven't found the perfect one, you know? They're all so good, but they're all missing something, and I just can't -"

"Breathing is really good for the body, I hear," Chris chuckled seeing how exasperated Tom was getting with himself. This time, the little "eheheh" appeared and it comforted Chris immensely. "Just, try to pick one soon, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Tom agreed half-heartedly. "As soon as I read the right one, you know? There's something I'm looking for, but I can't say what. It's like... I want to see another side of Loki, I guess." He mumbled the last bit before throwing Chris a small smile and heading to his trailer.

Chris came to a conclusion that night, and he set off to see if he could get a hold of his poet of a brother and his singer-songwriter girlfriend.

"Hello? Chris?"

"What's a drabble?"

 

~

 

_  
Loki was everything everyone wanted to change. Loki was a trickster, Loki was malicious, Loki was the end of the world._

_He was the type of person you'd never want to cross; he tallied the wrongs in his mind until time called for him to fire them at you like poison darts. He would be the one to set the roots of Yggdrasil on fire and watch you crawl through them, smile ever-present._

_Loki was evil. Loki was mad, Loki was hollow, Loki was too far gone to save._

_His face sunken, his cheeks hollow, his fangs bared, and everything tattered, he was out for blood._

_Loki was scared. Loki was defeated, Loki was desperate. Loki was the epitome of twisted beauty._

_He was repeatedly denied escape, cornered and trapped. The choices ripped from his hands like his children, his destiny never his own._

_Loki was Loki, and nothing could change that._

_Why would anyone want to?  
_

 

Tom read it a dozen times over, each time gathering something new, each time feeling his heartstrings being tugged at, each time feeling more and more for his fictional character that he tried so hard to grasp.  
 _Loki was the end of the world.  
Loki was too far gone to be saved.  
Loki was the epitome of twisted beauty.  
His destiny never his own._

This was it. This was the one. Tom could feel it in his bones - he had to get a hold of this "C.H." person immediately.

 

~

 

The next morning, everyone noticed Tom visibly more energetic, and Chris held his breath the whole morning. The entire day was spent with Joss asking Chris to stop twirling Mjolnir around so distractingly (well his exact words were more like "Stop fidgeting Chris! No, not you Chris - _you_ Chris, yes you!) and Tom never having to do a scene more than once. He blew everyone away with his performances, and Joss took full advantage of it, trying to get in as many Loki interactions as possible. The rest of the cast and crew were running from set to set, trying to keep with him. After ten long hours, Joss was nearly hoarse from shouting instructions and directions, and called it a night. Nobody was to come in until noon the next day, and there was a flurry of relieved sighs. As soon as he was out of costume, Chris made his way for Tom, who was still getting unbuckled.

"Hey, you really nailed it today, eh?"

Tom looked well rested and his smile could have outshone the sun, "I found it, Chris! I found the one. Oh, it was brilliant, remind me to show you one time, will you? I've never read anything so hauntingly beautiful, just a gorgeous, gorgeous piece."

Chris really liked the way Tom's accent became more prominent when he got excited, and lost himself in Tom's words.

 

~

 

Tom fidgeted nervously with the phone as he pulled up the winning entry's form. He had asked for a name and a telephone number on every entry, but as he went back to read it, he couldn't help but think the digits seemed vaguely familiar. He shrugged it off thinking it was a phone number from his childhood or something, and proceeded to punch it in.

He held his breath and waited for four rings, each one making him more anxious. On the fifth ring, he heard a raspy, sleepy voice answer. The soft moan could have been a "hello" but it was hard to tell. Tom started to blush.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry to have woken you, I hadn't realized how late it was! I, um, I was actually just calling about a twitter contest you entered and thought it would be rather nice to call you personally to tell you you've won, but I could call back at another time if that's more convenient or um, something that's better for you or, you know what, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I'm rambling now and I just feel so incredibly rude-"

"Breathing is really good for the body, you know," the deep voice responded - the gruff, deep voice with the slightest accent that sounded a bit like a Norse God.

"..Chris?!" Tom half-squeaked into the phone. _C.H._ Tom smacked himself in the forehead.

"You okay there? It sounded like you hit something."

"I - You - The - _What?_ "

Chris took a deep breath and explained nonetheless. "I'm sorry, mate, I really am, I just... I just wanted something to help you out, and when you said you wanted to see another side of Loki, I just got carried away. I didn't really think this far, to be honest."

"Huh. I never pegged you for the writing type," Tom said a little off-topic.

Chris laughed on the other end, "I admit I had a little help, but hey, you're free to call someone else, like a runner-up I guess? I know how much you wanted to spend time with your fans."

Tom thought about it for a second before responding, "Well, are you a fan? Because technically, you did win, and you know I always run a fair game."

Chris full out burst into laughter, "Tom, what kind of a question is that! Do you never watch my interviews? I think you're brilliant - you _are_ brilliant. I don't think there's a single person who isn't your fan."

"Well I'm very flattered, Chris, you wouldn't happen to be the leader of my army, would you?" he joked. 

"That's for me to know and you to.... not know," Chris said awkwardly.

"So gifted with your words, you are."

"Well I won, didn't I?"

Right. Back to the fact. "Yes, yes you did. You know, this could be fun, I've already cleared everything for this weekend from Friday onward, and since you already know where I'm living this takes care of my transportation woes. Though, I suppose we could just leave the set together."

"Sounds good, Tom. You know, I hadn't actually expected to win, but I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too," Tom agreed easily - and it was true. "I'll see you on set tomorrow, yeah?"

"Of course." There was only a slight pause when neither man wanted to say goodbye. "And Tom?"

"Yeah?"

"Get some sleep tonight, alright?"

"Definitely, thanks to you." Tom's eyes went comically wide when he let the words slip and he was so glad no one was around to see his facepalm.

"Glad to hear. Sweet dreams, Tom."

"You too. 'Night, Chris."

As he pressed the END button, he shook his head, wondering what the odds were that Chris of all people would have been the one. He tweeted the announcement of finding a winner and thanked all his fans for their time and efforts. When he stripped down for bed, he couldn't help but be grateful for how things had turned out. Both fell asleep with a soft smile on their faces.

 

~

 

Friday dragged by incredibly slow it seemed. Chris spent a rather long time fidgeting with Mjolnir again, twirling his cape in his fingers and pestering his fellow colleagues when he was not needed for a shot. Tom was obviously better at containing his feelings because his face was perfectly masked even though he was jittery inside (he blamed it on the coffee).

When the day _finally_ came to an end, Chris lept out of his costume in under a minute - some sort of super record for Asgardian wear. He had already packed a bunch of things from his trailer and hotel room (because unlike Tom he couldn't be bothered renting an actual place for a while).

He was ready to go and waiting for Tom who was _still undoing those damned buttons_. Chris mentally cursed the wardrobe people before remember that he was forever in their debt for crafting something that really flattered Tom in all the right places. It was a close fit, regal and demanding, and it made Tom look so... superior. Like royalty. Like someone who needed to be ravished. Chris shook the though from his mind before he started thinking about how the costume also hugged Tom in all the right places. They were close, right? Best of friends, so it was only natural to acknowledge that he knew some very good looking people. But that was all.

Lost in his thoughts, Tom's hand upon his bicep startled him.

"Ready?" Tom asked with a cheeky grin.

"You bet," Chris responded without a clue about what he was in for.


	2. Best Date Planner Award Goes to Tom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend rolls on; breakfast, yoga, late night dancing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR ALL THE YOGA LINKS, it's just, if you don't have the slightest bit of yoga vocabulary this might not make sense to you at all, so I included a few links to help get your imagination in the game, but if you want to skip over that, that's cool too. Just a fair warning.

Tom's rented flat was simple and modern, mostly black and white furniture with splashes of forest green decor. When questioned, he simply raised a delicate eyebrow and responded, "the colour grew on me."

They spent their time together settling in easily, Tom giving a small tour, showing Chris his room, drawers, towels and the like. Both took their turns showering and pampering themselves. When offered hot chocolate, Chris merely smirks at the childish smile upon his colleague's face, and accepts. They sit outside on the balcony on the thirteenth floor - the highest floor - and simply watch the night fall together. They speak comfortably, both in simple sleeping gear - sweats and loose tees - they talk about the film and how anxious they are, and soon enough the moon comes out and her light dances across Tom's eyes when he tilts at a certain angle, and Chris can't look away. His eyes, they look almost grey, and combined with the shocking blue takes Chris's breath away. In a matter of minutes he found himself falling at a fast, hard, dizzying pace, and thinks _maybe this is how Loki felt when he let go._

As he mostly listened to Tom's worries for his upcoming films, he became mesmerized by the low drawl of Tom's voice and the beautiful accent. It was rather sad for Chris when Tom had started to yawn too frequently, stretching his long limbs to try and stay awake, and suggested that maybe they head for bed as tomorrow was filled with activities. Chris reluctantly nodded, bid the man goodnight, and prepared for bed though his head was in the clouds at this point.

 

~

 

"Chris?" Tom's soft voice came from the other side of the door. Chris blinked sleepily but got up and ready anyway. He slipped on a pair of sweatpants before ambling to the door, trying to tug on a white V-neck in the process, and opening it.

"Hey I was - oh," Tom immediately blushed at the the sight of Chris still struggling with his bunch up shirt. He looked away and continued, rather embarrassed. "Ummm, well there's a lovely breakfast place that I thought we could visit, as that was part of my original plan, but if you aren't, er, ready..."

"I'll only need five minutes," Chris assured, finally getting the shirt to co-operate.

"Right, well, I'll just... be around."

When the bathroom door clicked, Tom blinked rapidly and squeezed his eyes shut as if trying his very hardest not to conjure the image of a pretty shirtless Chris is his apartment. He was still a little dazed when he went to go gather his phone, keys and wallet, and ended up having to pat himself down to check where everything was. At that moment, Chris emerged from the bathroom to see Tom patting his own back pockets and let out a low whistle. Tom jumped, startled before blushing furiously.

"You're such an ass," he laughed.

"And you've got a pretty nice one," Chris replied on the ball.

Neither one commented on the other's small smiles or pink cheeks as they walked calmly to the "Egg Shore Dinnery". Tom seemed to be beyond amused at the play on the word "extraordinary" and Chris didn't complain one bit because he how could anyone complain about that laugh?

"Still laughing at the name, Tom?" was their greeting from a 40ish looking woman with dusty hair and light eyes, and it made Chris smile to think that Tom was in here often enough to be on a first name basis with the staff as they were greeted by everyone.

There were two other customers, mostly absorbed in their coffees and papers and not even batting an eyelash in their direction. Chris automatically decided that he liked this place.

"I can't help it, Dina! Your father was a punny man," Tom responded. Dina rolled her eyes but shuffled them into a booth,asking if they - no, just Chris, actually - needed a menu. Did Tom eat here _that_ often?

Tom responded for him, declining politely while keeping those ultramarine eyes trained on Chris. 

"I'll have my usual, and could you double that for my friend here but skip the extra sweet treatment?" Tom asked politely.

"Anything for our favourite customer and his _friend_ ," she winked, scuttling off to the kitchen. The way she said "friend" made it sound so much more scandalous and Tom nervously laughed it off through rosy cheeks.

"You have a _usual_ here?" Chris teased.

"It's good here!" Tom protested in a childish manner, which made Chris laugh wholeheartedly. The lines around his eyes became more defined as he scrunched them up, his teeth perfectly white and stark against his tan skin. Tom decided he rather liked Chris's smile and was caught staring, though neither men commented. When Dina arrived with their coffee pot and cups they barely even registered her outside their private staring contest. When Tom blinked, Chris noted how long and enticing his eyelashes were, framing those beautiful blue eyes. 

When their food arrived, Chris stared at Tom's plate in awe. They were both served a stack of large waffles, topped with fresh cut fruit and whipped cream, but Tom's plate was also covered in icing sugar, strawberry syrup and chocolate drizzle. Chris laughed again when Tom's hand dove straight for the syrup bottle, wondering how the man managed to stay so lithe and slender if this was an indication of his diet. His laugh died in his throat as he saw Tom capping the syrup again, chasing the little drop of it that dripped down the side. His tongue was immediately upon the long, delicate finger that swept the syrup up as he sucked on his finger, hollowing out his cheeks. Chris swallowed thickly, feeling himself stirring under his pants and thanking the heavens that they were sitting down and the table obstructed Tom's view. He nearly jerked out of his seat at Tom's obscene "Mmmmm" noise when he licked his finger clean. Completely unaware of how subtly seductive he was being, Tom flashed Chris a brilliant smile before telling him to dig in.

Chris's eyebrows shot up as the first bite was upon his tongue as he slowly chewed and closed his eyes to savour the taste of the most delicious waffles he had ever had.

"I can see why you're so addicted to this place, their food's just great!" he exclaimed.

Tom chuckled, "I think I've had spent my entire Avengers paycheck here already."

"Well for spending millions of dollars on your plate of diabetes, you still haven't put on any weight, " Chris said comically serious. "How do you keep the pounds off, eh?"

"You'll see," Tom grinned. 

Both men ate contently, and Chris couldn't wait for the next part of their weekend.

 

~

 

"So, what's your super secret work out?" Chris said after changing into loose track pants and a fitting tank by Tom's orders. He found that Tom was dressed similarly, and Chris let his eyes wander as Tom led him downstairs to the building's gym.

"You have a choice between capoeira or yoga," Tom said as they entered the unoccupied place. There were a handful of machines and weights available for use as well as a large room with hardwood flooring and mats, empty save for the stereo in the corner. One wall was completely mirrored, the others made to be as soundproof as possible, and Chris rather liked the makeshift dance studio room.

"What and what now?" 

Tom laughed. "Capoeira," he repeated. "It's a Brazilian martial art, with a hint of dance. It's quite fun, really, but it's a lot of rocking back and forth. Of course, that's why yoga's also an option, it's much more slow, and stretches you out."

 _Stretches you out_ , Chris kept thinking over and over again. _Dammit, Tom._

"Which one do you do more often, or which one do you like more?"

Tom seemed to think about it before coming to the conclusion, "I did a lot of capoeira to pack on muscle for Thor, but switched to yoga after being cast as Loki. So, both, I guess you could say."

Chris shot him a challenging smile. "Then both it is then." He knew he made the right decision when Tom grinned equally wide.

"Let's start with yoga first, it'll help loosen our muscles for our little _sparring_ later," Tom winked playfully. 

Was it really terrible that Chris found it _extremely_ sexy when Tom slipped in just a little bit of Loki? Shaking his head, he followed Tom's lead as he retrieved a mat from the corner. 

"I take it you've never done yoga before?" 

Chris shook his head. 

"Let's begin slowly, then," Tom said soothingly. He popped a CD of nature sounds, which Chris thought was terribly cliche, but found Tom adorable for doing so. He went on to listen to Tom's voice as he spoke of proper breathing and shifted from position to position, naming and explaining them. Chris kept up easily during the sitting phase going through poses like the [Bound Angle Pose](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/486) and [Marichi's Pose](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/691). But, when Tom folded into a second [Marichi's Pose](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/93), Chris could only stare at the perfect arch of Tom's back and the long pale neck stretched forward as the man rested his forehead against his knee. Chris thought in that moment that it should be illegal to be that flexible and unknowingly seductively. He had a field day when Tom finished the segment with a Wide-Angle Seated Forward Bend. And yes, it was [exactly how it sounds](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/684). After moving through the standing segment, Chris noticed the odd names and tendencies to name moves after them, secretly thanking the King Pigeon for the gloriousness of seeing Tom literally [bent backwards on his knees](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2469). Chris was beginning to think he had a previously unknown yoga position kink - and really, dolphins did _not_ look like [that](http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2462). He was pretty sure Tom was putting them all to shame, anyhow. The curve of his perfectly round ass made Chris uncomfortably hot, though with the light sweat upon Tom's brow he could blame it on the yoga, even if he wasn't doing much of it - he managed himself in half-assed positions for Tom's sake, and the other man smiled nonetheless, coaxing him to continue doing a great job.

When the session finished, Chris was just a little upset he didn't get to see more of these compromising positions, but quickly got over this as Tom stretched his arms behind his head to grab the back of his top and pull it cleanly over his head, his blonde curls bouncing as it flew off.

 _Do not stare, do not stare, do not stare,_ Chris willed with _all_ his might. Tom changed the CD and the music completely changed - there was a heavy beat of drumming to this one, with eerie tribal sounds, and Chris soon found his body feeling energized by it.

"Here, let me show you the main step that you just repeat," Tom offered as he stepped in front of Chris and side-stepped slowly, letting Chris follow. They faced the mirrored wall, so Tom could keep track of Chris's movements and encourage him. As he repeated the step to the other side, crossing his legs, Chris again followed smoothly. Tom smiled at him through the mirror's reflection when they caught each other's eyes. 

"Great, Chris! Let's go a little faster now." Tom had crouched a little lower and picked up the pace so that the rigid side-stepping now looked like a dark dance, and Chris was instantly mesmerized by the easy, coordinated swaying of Tom's lithe limbs. He bit his lip as he stared directly at Tom's swivelling hips, deciding that was a good place to train his eyes.

Tom looked up at the mirror once more and saw that his eyes were trained... Hm. He tried to think logically, that Chris was only studying him with such a level of intensity because he was trying to learn, right? He ducked his head to hide his deepening blush as he continued to work his legs from left to right. When he found that Chris was picking it up rather quickly, he decided it would be fun to "spar" for real.

"It'll be a bit of light fun is all," he assured. "The whole point of the movement is so you can be on the offence and defence at the same time, and it allows for feints and tricks all over the place."

"Fighting like Loki, are we?" Chris asked suggestively.

"What better way is there?" Tom smirked.

Soon, Tom was showing Chris a lot of what he had learned, immensely glad that the man had caught on so quickly. They danced around each other, and in all good fun landed a few taps and pokes, and by the end both were breathing heavily, their bodies protesting any continuation.

"No wonder you never get fat," Chris mumbled, wiping his brow.

"Wait til you see what we're having for dinner!"

 

~

 

If Chris had to give an award for "Best Date Planner" it would be to Tom. The restaurant Tom had chosen was a small place with brightly painted walls and on the quietest street Chris had ever seen. Its lights seemed to be the only ones on for at least twenty buildings either way. He again let Tom surprise him, and again was not disappointed. 

Piles of delicious, hot, steaming food arrived in a matter of minutes - lobster, crab, sushi, and teriyaki, it all smelled _so good_. Chris only continued to be fascinated by his friend as Tom bowed his head in gratitude and conversed with the waitress in Japanese for a moment. 

"You know Japanese?" he asked in a wondrous voice.

"I've only just started to learn it, I mean knowing Latin certainly wasn't helping me much here," he joked as he popped a piece of buttered lobster in his mouth. A little bit of the juices had escaped the corner of his mouth, glossing a bit of his lower lip and it seemed that Tom hadn't noticed it yet.

"Here," Chris said automatically, reaching over the table with a napkin. He swiped the sauce away, leaving Tom to blink at him before blushing and thanking. It was then that Chris finally caved in, admitting to himself that _yes, Tom was damn attractive, and he was falling, hard._

"S'no problem," Chris said, but boy oh boy was it a big problem. He was in trouble now.

Tom really treated him, the finest seafood he had ever tasted sat heavily in his stomach as they walked together now. 

When Tom pulled his arm to stop him, Chris revelled in the coolness of his fingers like autumn had kissed his fingertips.

"We're here," he said, indicating to a worn-down building with dim lights peaking through the crack beneath the door and a soft sound coming from within.

"Where's here?"

"You'll see." He knocked on the door twice before it unlatched and he led them in. 

"Hey Paul!" he said cheerfully to an old man with greying hair and thick-rimmed glasses.

"Tom! Wow, it's been a while. We missed you the last few Saturdays!"

"Sorry, I've been so busy with work," he smiled apologetically.

"Ech, I know how it goes. Who's your _friend_?" he winked.

 _Did **everyone** have to make that word sounds so heinous?_ Chris thought.

"This is Chris, we're actually working on the film together," Tom said sheepishly as the two men exchanged a firm handshake.

"You two kids have fun in there tonight," Paul said, handing them two strips of black cloth with holes in them.

Chris looked at Tom worriedly before the man explained they were just for keeping their identity's on the down low. Before he could ask why that was necessary, Tom dragged him through a set of heavy doors which led into an enormous hall with a a bar to one side and a stage on the other, pianist and jazz players already blaring away. He looked at Tom like _this can't be real_ but Tom just laughed and pulled him into the writhing mass of dancing bodies, telling Chris to follow his lead. 

Their legs kicked all night, the energy levels of the crowd and performers spurring them on and Chris felt like he was 1930's. They danced with multiple partners, complete strangers thanks to everyone's makeshift masks, but always found their way back to each other. When they were brought close together by the dance, Tom's eyes had never seemed so green, and Chris felt his knees weaken, though he chose to blame that on the dancing.

Hours of twirling and smiling, they finally headed back to the flat where Tom had offered Chris the shower first. When he finished, he found Tom already sleeping soundly on the couch, and carefully scooped up the lighter man bridal style and setting him down gently in his own bed. For comfort, he removed Tom's belt, vest, and shirt, trying to keep his hands - and breath - steady.

In just one day, Chris had learned yoga, capoeira, swing dance and all the contours of Tom's upper body. He couldn't wait for tomorrow.


	3. The Not-Really Last Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their feelings just can't be hidden any more, so have some fluffy smut to end things off ~

When Chris awoke the next morning, he noticed that everything was just as it was last night, Tom laying on the bed in the corner of the flat, still partially dressed. He padded quietly to the bathroom to brush his teeth and get ready for the day, somewhat a loss for what to do while waiting for his host to wake up. It turned out that it wouldn't be a problem as he heard a large clap of lightning and a loud thud outside. Curiously, he opened the bathroom door to poke his head out, still brushing his teeth. He almost choked on the toothpaste as he saw Tom gingerly stand up, rubbing his bottom.

Tom turned around in alarm, blushing furiously. "Sorry I fell asleep on you the other night!" he exclaimed sheepishly.

"S'no worry," he half-gargled. He finished up brushing his teeth while Tom scurried around outside for something. 

"What are we doing today?" 

"Well I had originally planned a picnic, but it seems the weather has got other ideas about that. How about I leave you to order something while I freshen up?" Tom suggested, handing over a folder.

Chris looked curiously through the folder, raising an eyebrow at the various take-out menus that Tom had collected _and organized_. "Seriously, Tom?" he joked.

"I like to be very prepared," Tom responded before laughing slightly at himself. 

"You're one of a kind," Chris said. The two men let the words hang in the air. Chris of course meant it in all seriousness, despite the joking nature. Tom was Tom, and there was never going to be a man like him in the entire universe no matter how hard they tried. And Tom had been hit by the sudden urge to hear Chris say more; he wanted to feel unique to Chris, to feel irreplaceable, to be the centre of Chris's attention. He smiled at Chris before ducking into the bathroom, relieved to hide his flushing cheeks. 

_What if Chris meant more when he said that? What if?_

Chris took his time rifling through the highly organized folder, still marvelling at the fact that Tom had actually gone through the trouble. He even made notes about each place and rated them out of 5 with little stars to indicate his favourites. After having Western breakfast and Asian seafood, he decided on a Mediterranean restaurant that he noticed the little stars next to. After ordering some lamb and shwarma, which seemed to be one of Tom's favourite orders, he roamed around the apartment, discover more and more things about Tom. He found a large bookshelf and took the time to scan the various titles, which were all in alphabetical order. "The Life of Pi" lay on the table between the shelf and Tom's smaller bed. The bookmark was near the end of the book, though the worn pages suggest he had read it several times already. Then he made a move to the DVD rack. The first thing he noticed was that all the movies were also in alphabetical order, and a slot near the bottom of it was empty in the "T" section. When he looked over the the Blu-ray player, _Thor_ lay on top of it, and the box was empty. Chris could only guess it was in the DVD player and he smiled at this for some reason. Just as he heard the water shut off, there was a knock at the door. He paid the delivery man, signing the back of a receipt per his request and thanked him. He spread the food for them on the coffee table in front of the TV, and waited for Tom to emerge. 

When he did, he certainly wasn't ready for it. Tom was still glistening from his shower, his mop of curly blonde hair dripped from his head and the towel was wrapped around his waist, one hand holding it up. He let his other hand hurriedly rummage for clothes out of a small closet in the wall. He noticed that Tom was shivering slightly after being under such hot water. He quickly grabbed a few garments before ducking back into the bathroom to change, his face completely red as he died of embarrassment. Chris couldn't stop staring, even though Tom tried his hardest to avoid eye contact. He couldn't help it, Tom was so enticing, the water rolling down his toned back and chest, the way his curls were heavy and hanging, his eyes so startling and blue. He was breathtaking.

Chris distracted himself immediately by turning on the news because who on earth would get hard listening to the weather forecast? Right? Thankfully, Tom took his time to get dressed and towel dry his hair, which gave Chris just enough time to control his focus on how terrible the storm was outside.

"Hm, I don't suppose Thor is too pleased today," Tom said nonchalantly as he slid onto the couch beside Chris. He had settled on a loose fitting pair of thin black pants - Chris avoided looking at his crotch - and a simple white wifebeater. 

Chris smiled again. _Thor_ jokes were common amongst them, and the rest of the crew and it always brought on a light atmosphere.

"Speaking of Thor, I noticed you've watched it recently," Chris said.

"Oh, yes! I was also planning on watching the film with the contest winner thinking I would answer some of their questions. They're always so curious on Twitter..." he said, trailing off.

"We should watch it," Chris said firmly.

"Yeah?" Tom's voice was laced with utter curiosity.

"Yeah. I'm a curious fan with questions too, y'know."

Tom chuckled but obliged. They picked through their food as the opening scenes began and listened to Anthony Hopkins's voice fill the apartment thanks to the surround sound system. The lightning outside made the film that much more enjoyable as it seemed to pick up whenever the movie called for it. They exchanged sly grins as if they _knew_ that Thor was behind this. True to his word, Chris asked all sorts of things and Tom asked some in return, trying to get into each other's minds about their roles, what they were thinking in that moment and what they felt. Most of the time they laughed about little errors that only they knew about, or pointed out something that most people overlooked.

"Were you stuffing your pants or something, Tom? Jesus," Chris muttered as they came upon the scene where Loki strode towards Sif from his place on the throne.

Tom turned a pleasant shade of pink but said nothing at the teasing, choosing to lightly elbow Chris in the side instead. It brought them into a whole new world of their film and they scrutinized their movements more closely than ever before, their comments quickly turning into good, light-hearted banter with lots of laughing. As the film was coming to an end, Chris almost choked. He paid close attention to how Tom, as Loki, pretended to be pinned down by the lightweight Mjolnir prop, his teeth bared and his neck exposed as he threw his head back in agony and just the _look_ on his face... Chris gulped and hoped that Tom didn't notice.

"Oh dear god, I never noticed how my face looked during that shot. How embarrassing," he laughed.

Chris snorted and automatically responded, "I'm sure I just heard the sound of a million panties hitting the ground, Tom."

"You wear panties?" Tom retorted, and the comeback was well executed by unexpectedly made something inside Chris twist, snap, and shatter. His mouth was involuntarily hanging open as he gaped at Tom, who immediately flushed and apologized for the remark but was cut off quickly.

Chris savoured the taste of Tom mixed with their spiced food as he dove in for a the kiss he had been waiting far too long to take. His adrenaline rushed, flooded his thoughts and he was only half-aware of what he was doing, but then it registered that Tom had not pulled back or pushed him off. And so, he slowly opened his mouth, letting his tongue slip between them to nudge apart Tom's. His teeth pushed past Tom's teeth, letting them scrape his tongue and it sent shivers down his spine. He eagerly grabbed Tom's neck with a hand as he leaned forward into their kiss. Their breathing was rushed as they gasped for air against each other's lips, neither of them breaking it off as Tom summoned his own courage to push back. He turned to face Chris, letting the larger man take a hold of his neck, sliding his hips and legs underneath the man, wrapping his arms around Chris's neck. He felt a large hand cradle his hip, and involuntarily arched upwards to feel the warmth of the broad chest above his. The hand on his hip came to wrap around his back, effectively keeping it pinned to the hovering body and it slipped under the white fabric, gliding over the ridge of his spine and he gasped against Chris's touch.

"I... I don't..." Chris panted, head spinning from their passionate kiss. Tom just shushed him gently before meeting his lips again and rolling his hips which caused his shirt to travel further up, and elicited a painful groan from Chris, his want and lust so overwhelming at this point.

"Bedroom," Tom murmured into their kiss, and Chris was so happy to agree that he hoisted himself off the couch, arm still around Tom, lifting him as well. Tom hummed against Chris's lips before wrapping his long legs around the man's torso, allowing himself to be carried into the nearby bedroom. With only a few bumps and fiddling moments along the way, Chris dropped them gracelessly on the bed, practically pinning Tom beneath him.

Tom was already removing Chris's shirt and the eagerness spurred both men on, tugging at fabric that just shouldn't be there right now. The heat of the moment drove them to undress each other in a matter of seconds, and Chris thanked all the gods who were listening for Tom's choice of loose-fitting clothing. Their eyes were left to wander and discover; their hands stroking appreciatively. The first skin-to-skin contact was electrifying, making the men gasp and shudder. Chris was contently settled between Tom's legs as he trailed his fingers over Tom's hips, so defined and prominent. Tom was half-massaging the muscles of Chris's shoulders, bring him closer. Pre-come was leaking from both members, and Tom let his hands slip over Chris's chest, and all the way down to the leaking cock. His fingers were lightly moving in lines and small circles, letting a fingertip glide over the slit every so often, sending Chris into a moaning mess as his hand finally slipped between Tom's legs, stroking the perineum and base of Tom's cock. The man on his back was writhing beneath Chris until it seemed that neither of them could take it any more.

"Drawer," was all Tom could manage to say through his ragged breathing. Chris understood well enough and fumbled with the drawer and its contents before coming away with a small bottle of lubricant. he applied a generous amount to his cock, his fingers, and Tom's entrance. The man sighed and bucked against Chris's touch, which pleased him to no end. He lazily stroked himself with his other hand as he stared at Tom's face, so beautifully flushed and eyelids fluttering so prettily. The small "o" of his mouth allowed for obscenely maddening sounds, and Chris thought he would come from those alone. 

Tom's leg came to wrap around the back of his thigh, pulling him closer, and Chris smiled wickedly at the impatience. Their eyes met again in a paralyzing stare in a storm of blue-on-blue. Chris let the tip of his cock rest against Tom's entrance, slowly prodding forward. To Tom, it was torturous, and he sped things along by wriggling his hips along the bed downward to breech himself. The act, so wanton, made Chris's arms give out as he landed on his elbows on either side of Tom's face, which was scrunched up in pleasure and slight pain. He kissed the man's brow before rocking his hips. Each thrust put more and more of him inside Tom and they both let out an ongoing train of gasps and moans, growls and groans, matching the cackling and rumbling of the thunder outside.

Chris cherished every second of it, his pace slow and even, his thrusts deep and long. Tom caught it all, he basked in the glory of the sensation, mapping every inch of Chris's skin with his hands and letting his teeth leave his mark upon Chris. 

They made love slowly, and it was beautiful. Everything about it.

As they rocked in perfect harmony together, each coming closer and closer to becoming completely undone, their whispered words became frantic confessions of love and admiration, filling them both with new purpose and joy.

"Harder, harder," Tom begged, and Chris went into a frenzy, picking up his pace and letting their bodies truly slam into each other. The jolts of pleasure surged through them both as Chris spilled inside Tom, who was clenching tightly around Chris's cock, his muscles out of his control as he spurted onto their stomachs and chests.

"Chr-Chris," Tom whispered, his voice uncharacteristically high in what sounded like a half-sob.

"Tom," Chris replied in a soothing tone, leaning down to kiss the man's cheek.

"What... What happens now?"

So that was it, Chris thought. Tom was worried for the future, worried about their friendship, the Avengers, their newfound romance. 

"We finish our date?" Chris replied, lightening the mood. Tom seemed to accept this, and the rest of the day was spent inside, thanks to Thor.

 

~

 

"Seriously, you two are on the ball. You really captured the emotion there, I'm really impressed with the way you guys interact," Joss complimented the next day on set. "At this rate, we'll probably have another weekend off soon."

Tom and Chris exchanged a secret smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who's read this and left kudos or comments, it seriously means a lot to me and I thank you for the patience, cooperation, and feedback. 
> 
> I love you all! <3


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